1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for simulating the forces, sensations and general experience of operating a high performance vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus which has the sophistication necessary to realistically simulate the experience of riding a high performance motorcycle.
2. Description of Related Art
The operation of high performance, high speed vehicles, such as airplanes, cars, boats and motorcycles carries with it a certain amount of risk. The risk of a crash is greatly reduced when the operator is experienced and has received proper training. In order to receive proper training and obtain the necessary experience, operators of high performance vehicles must be exposed to the full range of vehicle capabilities and emergency procedures. Whenever possible, the actual high performance vehicle is preferably not used for such training due to the high cost associated with operating the vehicle and the increased possibility of accidents and crashes during training. Accordingly, simulators have been developed for many high performance vehicles which are capable of providing a realistic simulation of the full range of vehicle capabilities.
Numerous sophisticated aircraft simulators have been developed which provide a realistic experience of flying high performance and transport category aircraft. The high cost of aircraft operation and disastrous nature of aircraft crashes has made the development of sophisticated and realistic aircraft simulators a necessity. However, the sophistication found in aircraft and aerospace simulators has not presently been applied to other vehicles such as motorcycles. In recent years, motorcycles have been developed which employ highly sophisticated drive trains and suspension systems. The result has been a drastic increase in the availability of high performance motorcycles which employ sophisticated technology. These motorcycles are capable of rapid acceleration to speeds in excess of 150 mph and have cornering capabilities which allow extremely high speed turns.
In order to make operation of the high performance motorcycle as safe as possible, it is desirable to provide thorough operator training. A thorough training program should include exposure to the entire performance envelope and capabilities of the motorcycle. In order to decrease the risk of injury to the operator during such training, it would be desirable to provide a motorcycle simulator which is capable of realistically simulating the experience of riding such a high performance vehicle.
Motorcycle simulators which have been developed in the past have been relatively unsophisticated devices. The motorcycle simulators disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,526,042; 3,686,776; 3,964,564; and 4,049,262 are exemplary of the types of devices which have been suggested as motorcycle simulators. Although these simulators are well suited for their intended purpose, they are not capable of providing a realistic simulation of the forces and movements experienced when riding a high performance motorcycle.
There presently is a need to provide a motorcycle simulator which has the necessary degrees of freedom of movement to expose the motorcyclist to the full range of motion experienced during riding a high performance motorcycle.